Top 4 Hikes in the Geographe Region

Cooler weather is on its way, which means it’s time to start planning your next hike - and what better place to begin with than the Geographe region. Only two hours south of Perth, the Geographe region is home to beautiful coastal, river and farmland scenery, as well as a number of excellent hike trails, making it a great spot for a weekend getaway.

With that in mind, get out your calendar, pick a weekend and pencil in a few of these must-do trails.

Coastal hikes don’t come any more beautiful than the Meelup Reserve Trail. Starting in Old Dunsborough, the trail takes you on an adventure past rustic beach shacks, rugged coastline and through shady peppermint forest before reaching what is possibly one of WA’s best beaches - Meelup Beach. Protected from the southwest winds, Meelup’s white sand and calm waters make it a wonderful place to enjoy a post-hike dip. A secret of the trail is that it passes secluded beaches and dramatic coastal rocks that are completely inaccessible by road – another reward of exploring on foot!

The Jabitj Trail is a new addition to the Trails WA website and is sure to become a firm favourite. The trail begins at Wellington Dam and follows the Collie River to Honeymoon Pool. Along the way it passes through old-growth jarrah forest and over steep granite outcrops, offering wonderful views of the rapids and the tranquil pools of the Collie River. The trail ends at Honeymoon Pool, a popular camping and swimming spot surrounded by tall peppermint trees. Be sure to bring your bathers, as it will be difficult to resist diving in and cooling off in the pool’s beautiful green water.

Trail Start: On foot via the Bibbulmun Track (see trail notes) or Wellington Dam, which is 200km (2.5) hours south of Perth

The Bibbulmun Wellington Spur Trail is an excellent overnight adventure for young hikers. The trail links the Bibbulmun Track, just south of Collie, to Wellington Dam, crossing through open farmland, jarrah, marri and yarri (blackbutt) forest along the way. The trail was designed with scout groups in mind, so there are two group campsites equipped with tables and toilets that make good spots to camp with kids or enjoy a picnic. Once you’ve reached Wellington Dam, you’ll find plenty of other activities to keep little ones busy, like canoeing, fishing, rafting and swimming – you can even hire mountain bikes and explore some of the nearby bike trails.

View of Wellington Dam from the Bibbulmun Wellington Spur Trail by Steve Sertis

Our last and most gentle trail on the list is the beautiful Marri Trail. Located in the Crooked Brook Forest Conservation Park, the 10km loop trail meanders through jarrah and marri forest, passing a small billabong and a lookout that provide sweeping views over the Ferguson Valley. If you’re walking later in the day, the lookout makes a peaceful place to watch the sunset. The trail is also home to plenty of kangaroos, cockatoos and a kaleidoscope of wildflowers during late winter and spring. Take note, the Marri Trail crosses paths with the Munda Biddi mountain bike trail so keep an ear out for the occasional rider when walking.

Marri Trail by Pam Riordan

If you walk any of these trails please rate and review them on trailswa.com.au. You can also download the App here. Available only on iPhone at the moment but Android version is in the pipeline.

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